High River couple get free home after Kijiji contest

Dave and Verna Roberts, a couple from High River, Alta., say words can't describe how grateful they are for the gift of a free home after their own house was made uninhabitable by flooding in June.

Insurance didn't cover their loss and they received just $14,000 from the provincial disaster recovery program.

So when their daughter saw an ad on the online classifieds site Kijiji that offered a free home to a family in need, they immediately applied.

The ad was posted by country singer Jason Hastie and his wife and Gina, who decided they wanted to build a new home on their lot in Killarney. Rather than tear the house down, they decided to give it to someone.

The Roberts said they never imagined they'd be selected from among 2,000 other applicants.

“Honestly we didn't. Our daughter was sure of it. Right from the first day she sent the ad to us, she told us to apply because it was our home,” said Verna.

“Who would have ever guessed she was right.”

The Hasties' bungalow will be moved to the Roberts' property in High River in the next few months.

The moving costs have also been donated by a company that operates locally.

“We do want to say one thing. What Jason and Gina have done for us, we just hope that other people follow suit — this was such a wonderful gift that was given to us.”